Galloping Hills Academy Book 1: Secrets

Chapter 10- War Zone

Sadie, Katelynne, and I walked to the stable for our lesson. I walked down the aisle to get Justin out of his stall and cleaned up. His black coat really shows dust. I curry combed him, picked his hooves, soft and hard brushed him, and brushed his mane and tail to a shine. As soon as it got warm enough I needed to give him a bath. I got Katelynne to watch Justin while I went to the tack room to get his tack and when I got outside the door I froze.

          “She’s really good and I’m worried she’s going to make the advanced team. We have to do something, if I don’t make the team, I will have to transfer out of Galloping Hills.” I heard voice that sounded like Isabelle’s came from the tack room. As much as I didn’t want to go in there, I had to. I pushed open the door and walked straight to my tack. I got it and was almost out the door when Isabelle spoke.

          “Did you hear my conversation with Megan?” she questioned, clearly pissed off.

          “Know, I just came to get my tack, that’s all.” I said, feeling the size of a kitten.

          “Well, I’m just surprised you still bother to show up to lessons. I can’t believe your stupid boyfriend is on the intermediate team. He isn’t good enough. He doesn’t even belong at Galloping Hills. He’s just white trash.” Isabelle said smirking.

          “You haven’t seen him ride before so don’t go judging his riding skills and he isn’t white trash, you don’t even know him. Just shut up and stop bothering me and my friends, know one likes you for who you are, they just want to hang with you to be protected, when are you going to see that?” I walked out of the door before she got a chance to say anything.

          I finished getting ready for my lesson and headed to the big outdoor arena. I mounted Justin and started walking him around on a loose rein. Edward came into the ring a few seconds after I did and I hoped Sadie, Katelynne, or Carson would get here soon. It was kind of awkward being in the arena with him alone. Carson was the next one there and I trotted over to him to give him a quick hug from atop our horses. Cherokee was looking good and I could tell that Carson was comfortable riding him.

          “Hey, we better start warming up or we will do the entire lesson without stirrups. We both know how much we would HATE that.” I said smiling at him.

          “Yeah, I hate riding with know stirrups as much as I hate not seeing you.” He said, giving me a very genuine smile.

          We headed out to the rail and urged Justin into a trot and started posting to it. Then I started figure eighting across the arena, trying my best to avoid Edward. Then Isabelle and Sadie walked in. But were was Katelynne? Five minutes passed and she still hadn’t shown up yet and I was getting worried. Then, when Mr. West walked in and she still wasn’t there, I got scared. Something had to have happened.

          “Good afternoon, if you all are warmed up then we can get started, we are going to do a little flatwork then work on jumping. Spread your horses out on the rail and start a sitting trot and drop your stirrups.” He instructed.

          I groaned and headed to the rail. I made a lap around the arena, then he asked us to start posting. We posted a lap then my legs started burning but I didn’t show it.

          “Get your stirrups back then canter, canter two laps then do a flying lead change.” He told us.

          I picked up my stirrups right away and started cantering, Carson looked so hot on a horse.

          “Natalie, shoulders back and don’t move your hands so much.”

          I sat up straight and kept my hands still. I couldn’t mess up again. Isabelle did an amazing flying lead change, but mine was better. She made her form look perfect and I mirrored her. This was all out war.

          “Okay, bring your horses to a walk and line up in front of me please.”

          We all guided our horses to him and sat perfectly still.

          “I am going to lower the jumps to 2’2 and you will jump the course, you will do it three times and each time I will raise the jumps two inches. Sadie, you go first followed my Edward, Katelynne, Carson, Isabelle, and Natalie, then you will go in reverse order the second time. Any questions?” we all shook our heads and Mr. West lowered the jumps.

          Sadie, Edward, and Katelynne had perfect rounds except Sadie had a rail down. Isabelle smiled to herself when Sadie road over to us.

          When it was Carson’s turn I glued my eyes to him. I knew he would do good and I couldn’t wait for Isabelle to eat her words. Carson urged Cherokee into a canter and turned him towards the first black and white vertical. They cleared it with ease and there was something about his ride that made it stand out. He cantered to the combo, the first jump was a yellow vertical, they cleared that and he had to kick him to get his momentum up in two strides for the green and blue oxar. They made a sweeping turn and Cherokee started to charge the brown rails to the vertical. Carson did a half halt and got him settled and bounded over the second to last jump. The last jump was a blue and white striped oxar and they soared over it. He rode over to us and got in line beside me.

          “That was very good, I like that you half halted before the brown vertical and in the combo you had to work hard to get his momentum up before the oxar, but you did it. Very nice ride.”

          The rest of the lesson was a war between Isabelle and I. we had clear rounds all three times and our form was impeccable.  I had a feeling that from now on, lessons would be exactly like this, a war to see who’s a better rider.

          It.

          Was.

          On.